About This Event

In this retreat*, you will:

Learn an effective and practical meditation technique to become aware of the subtle energy body and the 7 energy centers (chakras) which are located in the central channel (sushumna) of the energy body

Using meditation, we will explore the connection between the chakras and our psychological and emotional states

Through Ananda Yoga®, we will use the asanas and pranayama to direct energy upward in the sushumna and awaken and stimulate the chakras

Experience a devotional evening of chanting and meditation using sound and visualization to open and stimulate the chakras

Personal retreat time

**To register for the Saturday only portion of the program click here.

Explore spiritual principles, based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi. Feel the joy of community while surrounded in the beauty and peace of our rural retreat center west of Portland, Oregon.

Venue Highlights

The Center at Ananda Laurelwood is located 45 minutes west of downtown Portland in Oregon, surrounded by farmland, forest, and wetlands, with vistas of gently rolling hills stretching west to the coastal range. Quiet, serene, and inspiring, the landscape itself rejuvenates the soul.

The campus was originally designed and built as a residential high-school for the Seventh Day Adventist community. Retreat buildings are updated and comfortable, while retaining the charm and nostalgia of mid-century architecture.

Classrooms are sunny and bright, with plenty of room to stretch out and immerse yourself in a workshop, discussion group, or movement class.

Afternoon yoga classes are offered almost daily, year round.

Group meditations are held each morning and mid-day. Meditation instruction can be arranged.

Accommodations

Most of the accommodations at the Center at Ananda Laurelwood are dorm-style bedrooms with shared bathrooms down the hall. Most rooms have a sink in the corner. All rooms have ample closets and are quite spacious, light, and airy with good-sized windows looking out either across Laurelwood valley or onto the hillside above the retreat center.

You can choose your sleeping preference: twin, double, or queen bed. A small number of rooms have an en suite bathroom. A 2-bedroom apartment with kitchen and bath is also available.

Amenities

Free Wifi

Towels

Free Parking

Kitchen

Coffee/Tea

Cafe

Yoga Studio

Menu Types

Vegan

Vegetarian

Organic

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Nut Free

Menu/Cuisine

All meals are vegetarian, with vegan and gluten-free options available. Grace Kitchen tries to accommodate special dietary needs.

Directions

From Portland airport (PDX), take the MAX light rail to the Beaverton Transit Station. Uber or Lyft are available for the picturesque, 30-minute drive to the Center at Ananda Laurelwood.

For GPS directions, enter Academy Way, Gaston OR.

Cancellation Policy

100% deposit refund for cancellation 30+ days before event.
50% deposit refund for cancellation 15-29 days before event.
0% deposit refund for cancellation 0-14 days before event.
The remaining balance (total price minus deposit) is due upon arrival.Get full details...

About the
Venue and Teachers

What is Ananda?Ananda is a global movement based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda, who showed how everyone can realize God in their daily lives as a tangible, loving reality. Ananda was founded in 1968 by Yogananda’s direct disciple, Swami Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters).People from all faiths, traditions, and backgrounds are welcome at Ananda. We invite you to join us at our temples, yoga retreats, meditation groups, and communities to experience the joy of your own being. Meet the challenges and victories of your own spiritual journey, in the company of friends who support your inner growth and higher aspirations.Expand your sense of harmony and gain an increased sense of God’s loving presence in your life through ancient and effective techniques including Ananda Yoga and Kriya Yoga.

Miriam is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200) with Yoga Alliance and is a certified Ananda Yoga teacher.
Miriam has been a part of Ananda Worldwide for over 20 years and has served on three continents: US, Italy, and India, teaching meditation and helping establish spiritual communities. She was the nurse for Swami Kriyananda, a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, and was personally trained by him through daily contact across fourteen years. Miriam brings a depth of understanding and a richness of joy to her teaching.
She practices Kriya Yoga meditation as taught by her guru, Paramhansa Yogananda, author of the Indian classic, Autobiography of a Yogi. She delights in sharing these timeless teachings with all who seek more meaning in their lives.

David is a certified Ananda Meditation teacher, spiritual counselor and Ananda Yoga (RYT200) teacher. David also teaches tai chi and qigong, and recently completed a week-long, silent retreat immersed in Buddhist vipashyana (mindfulness) practices, guided by a traditionally-trained Tibetan lama.
David has been on a spiritual path since several awakening experiences in his teenage years. In college, he completed a B.A. degree in Philosophy, with a special focus on Eastern religions. He also began to study meditation: learning tai chi, qigong and yoga and living in a Zen Buddhist monastery. Later, while pursuing a career and raising a family, he continued to study and practice different techniques and traditions of meditation. David recently retired from his position as a director of the Center at Ananda Laurelwood in order to devote his time and energy more fully to teaching and practice.

Reviews
To review this event, visit the page for the venue or retreat leaders (above).

Our experience included comfort, beauty, healthy food, and a stimulating, profound education. We were among lovely people who all had a desire to grow towards the best versions of themselves. We left feeling inspired to continue the practices taught by our very wise hosts. They were beyond generous to us. It was a beautiful experience on many levels.

My family and I had a lovely, rejuvenating stay at Daiva and Gangamata's home, where we resided for over a month while waiting to move into a new home. Offering a respite from hectic city life, it was the perfect landing spot for a longer-term stay. The quarters are clean and comfortable, and appear to have been newly renovated. The kitchen is stocked with everything we needed - a dual burner, cookware, utensils, dishes, and a full-sized fridge and freezer. The washer and dryer were also super practical! There is also a ton of storage in the space, which was quite helpful as we happened to have plenty of loot with us; this made keeping the place tidy a cinch. We all, our six-year old son included, relished the gorgeous surroundings - hundreds of acres of hills, trees, flowers, and friendly critters. We greeted deer (parents plus bambis!) passing in front of the front door nearly every day, and took many long walks in the quiet rolling hills, breathing fresh, fragrant air. The people who live in this community are caring and friendly, and the community kitchen serves up tasty treats made with love, which gave us all a much-needed break from kitchen duties. Daiva and Gangamata are incredibly accommodating and conscientious. They responded promptly to questions and requests, and made a formidable effort to understand not only our specific needs, many of which were health-related, but also how they could help us fulfill them. We will miss them both, but will surely be back to visit soon! We fully recommend Daiva and Gangamata's home for your next stay without reservation or qualification. Come experience the beauty of this pace! You'll remember it always.

The Center at Ananda Laurelwood is a treasure I return to again and again! There is a peace and preciousness that permeates the grounds and is nurtured by the staff and student-residents of the campus. I love to walk the property at sunrise and sunset, attend the yoga and meditation sessions, and participate in classes and karma yoga activities. Every retreat and program I have attended has left me feeling more deeply connected with myself and transformed from the inside out. I will be back again and again!

I came to Ananda tired and in need of changing pace and chilling out. I wanted some structure and community but not too much. Ananda seemed to offer just that with meals, meditation and yoga. But it was more than that. I entered an incredible community of people who welcomed me with such openness, I immediately felt settled and so glad to be there. It was great to share meals and sit in meditation together and then find a new pace and rhythm to relax and retune. I was able to do that to my own amazement and I feel due to the support of the community along with the beautiful grounds and cozy comforting room I looked so forward to relaxing and reading in at different times during the day. My days were spent meditating, doing yoga, eating and reading, with big energizing hikes in the afternoon. I also got to chant kirtan with the community one night as well as participate in a workshop a couple of days while I was there. Definitely go if you are looking to recharge and like the idea of some community, food is fantastic and the people, so open and loving. Thanks Ananda, see you next year!

Thank you!

Why Retreat?

We asked people why they go on retreat, here's what they said:

To learn more to add to my classes
Shannon

Retreat Guru's Vision

We believe human beings are innately wise, strong and kind. This wisdom, although not always experienced, is always present. Going on retreat is a beautiful way to reconnect to our basic sanity and health. Our aspiration at Retreat Guru is to inspire people to experience authentic retreats and reconnect with their innate wisdom, strength and kindness.